Abstract
Conjugation in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe is controlled by the action of mating pheromones. Here I describe the isolation and characterization of M-factor, the pheromone released by M-type cells. M-factor is a nanopeptide in which the carboxy-terminal cysteine residue is carboxy-methylated and S-alkylated, probably with a farnesyl residue: Tyr-Thr-Pro-Lys-Val-Pro-Tyr-Met-Cys(S-farnesyl)-OCH3. Evidence for this structure was obtained by amino acid analysis, mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry of the native M-factor. Two genes encoding the M-factor were also identified and characterized. It appears that M-factor is synthesized as a larger precursor which is post-translationally cleaved and modified to yield the active pheromone. The proposed modifications are consistent with mechanisms known to exist in other yeast and higher eukaryotes.
MeSH terms
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Base Sequence
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Chromatography, Gel
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DNA, Fungal / genetics
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DNA-Binding Proteins
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Genes, Fungal
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Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Oxidation-Reduction
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Peptides / chemistry
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Peptides / genetics
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Peptides / isolation & purification*
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Pheromones / genetics*
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Polymerase Chain Reaction
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RNA, Fungal / genetics
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Schizosaccharomyces / genetics
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Schizosaccharomyces / metabolism*
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Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins*
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Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
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Species Specificity
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Spectrometry, Mass, Fast Atom Bombardment
Substances
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DNA, Fungal
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DNA-Binding Proteins
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Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
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Mating Factor, S pombe
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Peptides
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Pheromones
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RNA, Fungal
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Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins
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mfm1 protein, S pombe
Associated data
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GENBANK/D13201
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GENBANK/D13202
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GENBANK/D13203
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GENBANK/M94783
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GENBANK/M94784
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GENBANK/M94785
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GENBANK/S87829
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GENBANK/S87831
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GENBANK/X63627
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GENBANK/X63628
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GENBANK/X64299
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GENBANK/X64300